Qld bank's complaints 'not political'

A Queensland bank threatening to take the federal Labor party to court over claims its motto has been copied insists it has no political motivations.

Lawyers for Heritage Bank have written to both Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and the Australian Labor Party (ALP) asking them not to use the "putting people first" motto - adopted as a major campaign slogan for the 2016 election.

Chief executive Peter Lock said the bank had genuine concerns about the potential damage to its brand because it had trademarked the slogan since 2007.

The complaints have been laughed off by senior Labor MPs including Anthony Albanese, who on Wednesday described them as "absurd".

"Next thing you know, someone will try and slap a legal letter about saying 'vote for me'," he said in Brisbane's north.

"Labor is putting people first and I thank the bank for making sure that people are aware of our slogan and I hope they continue to make people aware of our slogan."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was similarly unperturbed by the bank's concerns.

"When I get criticised by a bank, I hardly call that a remarkable event because Labor is committed to a royal commission into the banking sector," he said.

"When you hear a financial institution attacking Labor, I have to say back: Why is it that financial institutions are so desperate to avoid the public scrutiny of a banking royal commission?"

But Mr Lock said the bank had no political motivations and was concerned purely with protecting its "much-loved" motto.

"As an organisation, we are absolutely apolitical and we don't seek or have any interest in being involved in the election campaign," he said.

Mr Lock also denied reports the bank had made donations to the Liberal National Party and said it did not endorse the political inclinations of individual staff members.